Montoya to drive for Team Penske for 2017 Indy 500

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INDIANAPOLIS, UNITED STATES: Juan Montoya of Colombia holds the jug of milk after winning the Indianapolis 500, 28 May, 2000, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis. Montoya is the first rookie to win the race since 1966. (ELECTRONIC IMAGE) AFP PHOTO/Jeff HAYNES (Photo credit should read JEFF HAYNES/AFP/Getty Images)

Montoya to drive for Team Penske for 2017 Indy 500

INDIANAPOLIS, UNITED STATES: Juan Montoya of Colombia holds the jug of milk after winning the Indianapolis 500, 28 May, 2000, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis. Montoya is the first rookie to win the race since 1966. (ELECTRONIC IMAGE) AFP PHOTO/Jeff HAYNES (Photo credit should read JEFF HAYNES/AFP/Getty Images)

Two-time Indy 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya will return to Team Penske for the 2017 Indianapolis 500. Team president Tim Cindric confirmed that the Indy 500 is currently the only Verizon IndyCar Series race that Montoya is scheduled to drive next season.

Over five seasons, Montoya has won 15 Indy Car races in 91 starts. He drove the No. 2 Chevrolet for Team Penske during the 2016 season, Montoya finished eighth in the Series standings and earned a victory in the season opener in St. Petersburg.

Montoya was left without a fulltime ride for 2017 when Team Penske signed Josef Newgarden to drive the No. 2 car next season. The 41-year-old Columbian reportedly explored options with other teams, but ultimately decided his best chance at a third Borg Warner Trophy would be with Team Penske.

“He didn’t want to leave the team but wanted to see what else was out there,” Cindric told INDYCAR Mobile. “After giving it some thought, he told me the best opportunity was to run Indy with Team Penske, so if the offer still stood, that is what he wanted to do.”

Montoya won the 2000 Indy 500 as a rookie with Chip Ganassi Racing. He won his second Indy 500 with Team Penske in 2015. That season, he finished second in the Series standings to Scott Dixon.